The Power of Online Presence: Facebook Brings Australian Parenting Expert Elly Taylor International Opportunities

 

Discover how some very successful mental health professionals use blogging, social media, and other technologies as powerful tools for their therapy practices.

Elly Taylor, AARC, is an Australian Relationship Counsellor, Parenthood Researcher and advocate for emotional health. She teaches parents and professionals about the eight stages of early parenthood following pregnancy so families can bed down solid foundations for psychological, emotional and relational growth. You can learn more about Elly’s work at www.ellytaylor.com.

When and how did you first start putting time and effort into maintaining a strong online presence?

With two teenagers at home, "Facebook" was a dirty word in our house a few years ago! Then, after my book Becoming Us was published here by Harper Collins in Australia, I met up with a very successful author friend who was giving me tips on marketing and how social media had made all the difference for her. I squirmed awkwardly in my seat and said something like “I really want my book to spread through word of mouth." She looked at me straight and said “Elly, these days that’s called social media.” So I reluctantly hopped on Facebook and found it completely overwhelming! Until I found there were groups. I love groups; part of my job is leading them. After a few months of participating in conversations in a couple of different groups about birthing, I received my first invitation to present my research in the United States... through a Facebook message!

Please describe what social platforms you currently use. 

I would use more if I could get off Facebook! I’m on LinkedIn and will be more active on there when I start my group for Family Focused Perinatal Professionals early next year. I’m also on Twitter, but don’t find it as warm and fuzzy as Facebook. I like seeing people’s kid pics. I did start a couple of Pinterest boards, but I’m worried I will get completely lost in there and weeks will pass and I’ll forget to eat…

About how much time do you devote to your online presence? How do you balance it with your other work responsibilities? 

Far too much at the moment! The plan for next year is to spend two days face-to-face with clients, one in my office and one via Skype for interstate and overseas clients. That leaves three days for writing and social media-ing. And the weekend to recover from my online hangover!

What kinds of things do you use to inspire your content creation; what do you write about?

I try to write about the stuff that’s unspoken, and with expecting and new parents, there’s plenty to cover! I write about the ways parenthood changes life and love and how to work with the changes and support your partner to do the same so you both grow together through them. So many relationships come undone through lack of awareness. In this information age, that shouldn’t be happening.

I also have found in my research that so many aspects of our culture set new families up for failure, that there’s a huge information gap between therapy and birth professionals, and therefore such a massive gap between expectation and reality for parents. I’ll be starting my regular blog soon, one for professionals to cross-pollinate their expertise and one for parents so they get the benefits of that. I’d like to do what I can to help cross the divide.

How do you best balance personal and professional in your online activities? Please give examples.

I have two FB accounts, one in my professional name and one in my married name, which is private. I don’t share family stuff on my professional page, although I know many who do and I’m probably being over-cautious. I do share some stories from my own life my talk for the Parenting 2.0 conference in Dublin is a good example!), but I check with my hubby that he’s OK with that beforehand…or maybe just afterwards!

What is some tangible evidence that your online presence has grown your business?

All my speaking invitations in the US and UK have come through social media contacts. My Facebook friends were also the ones who encouraged me to develop trainings based on the content in my book. I’ll be rolling out Becoming Us webinar trainings next year so that birth, health and therapy professionals have ideas, direction, and support to work with the expecting and new parents in their care.

What other ways has your strong online presence helped you?

Oh gosh, in lots of ways! If I have an idea I’m not sure about (logo, tag lines, etc), I’ll run it by my online friends. I’ve asked for feedback on my book and website and taken it all on board so when I finally launch my webinar series early next year, it’s been given a really thorough test run first.

A lovely birth professional friend referred to me as a “Parenthood Tour Guide” the other day, and then another one said she thought of me as “The Family Whisperer." I was so touched and thrilled! I love the support and validation I receive through Facebook groups; so many wonderful, engaged, enlightened souls who are all there to lift and help each other. I remember in the years before I got on social media, I was often lacking the support and collaboration I needed to get my work off the ground. I teared up just yesterday when a FB friend offered to be an administrator for a FB group I’m starting up next year and another offered to do a video testimonial for my book.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve encountered creating and maintaining your online presence?

Trying not to get sucked into the Facebook vortex and get other stuff done, like actually develop the content! I get so carried away by seeing everyone's pictures and news and cute videos. I made the mistake of announced the Becoming Us training courses just the other day at the same time I was supposed to be picking up my daughter from school.

How have you overcome those challenges?

I keep telling myself I’m going to get an egg timer…

What tips or resources can you recommend to help therapists who are new to the online world of blogging, social media, SEO, etc.?

Start slowly, observe at first to see what others are doing while you get your bearings, take your time, and build your confidence. See what ignites your passion – that’s where your best writing will come from. See where the gaps are. When I first got on FB and joined a bunch of birth professional groups, I noticed that fathers (and partners) were often left out of the conversations completely. I feel strongly that from an adult attachment perspective, including and supporting dads/partners during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood has major long-term benefits for the whole family. That's where I began my journey, and it was worked out well so far!

Elly Taylor, AARC

Australian Relationship Counsellor, Parenthood Researcher Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/BecomingUs Website: www.ellytaylor.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ellytaylor

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5 Common Barriers to Building a Fee-For-Service Practice

Building a fee-for-service practice can be scary, especially if it means resigning from insurance panels and finding other ways to attract clients. Others may have already made the switch, but don't know how to successfully navigate the change. I have found some strategies to help ease the transition. Here are 5 common barriers to building a fee-for-service practice and ways to overcome them: 1) "I'm uncomfortable marketing myself"

I often hear therapists say that marketing themselves feels like bragging or tooting their own horn by self-promoting. In order to move past this barrier, it's helpful to reframe the way you think about marketing. Consider it instead as REST: Relationships, Educating, Serving, and Trust Building. You are building relationships with potential clients who might see your website or other media, you're serving your community by educating them about important topics related to your niche, and you're establishing rapport and building trust with those who encounter you through your (online) content (REST is essentially why you're in the profession in the first place, right?). If you can focus on these 4 things, you can (and will!) attract clients who will pay your full fee. While your "marketing" strategy (I'm not a fan of that word, by the way) REST strategy is meant to benefit you by helping your community become familiar with you and your services, it's really about those who you can potentially help through receiving services through your practice. Don't be shy in getting the word out about yourself; it's a way for you to use your professional skills to serve and educate your community.

2) "I'm afraid of the ethical issues surrounding social media"

Those new to the world of social media may be wary to fully embrace it because of the potential ethical problems that may arise. Potential for unethical dual relationships, confidentiality concerns, and lack of knowledge are common fears. But these fears (and others) can be overcome: having an official social media policy included with your intake packet, avoiding directly soliciting your additional products or services to existing clients, being familiar with privacy settings online, and overall just using your ethics training and common sense will help you be prepared to face these potential issues.

Click here to read a more comprehensive article about overcoming fears associated with social media.

3) "I'm not good with technology"

The internet gives us incredible opportunities to communicate and reach an audience that is unprecedented in size. However, for those unfamiliar with all the ins and outs, it can also be intimidating, overwhelming, and frustrating to start. Mari A. Lee, an LMFT who specializes in sex addiction recovery, understands this feeling all too well. She describes being scared and resistant to learning new technologies. But she was able to overcome her "technophobia" by starting with manageable goals, finding a patient and persistent mentor, asking lots of questions, and setting aside time to devote to learning and practicing new tech skills. Her success in building an online presence paid off big time; she's currently a best-selling author! "If I can figure out how to blog, attend and facilitate webinars, host online trainings, navigate my Facebook business page, and so forth, anyone can... If this 52 year-old former tech scaredy cat can do it, so can you!" Mari explains (read more about her experience here). 

Understanding and applying the language of technology does not happen overnight. Be patient with yourself, as there's certainly some trial-and error learning here. Remember that everyone starts somewhere. And just like Mari, look for a mentor to guide you and bounce ideas and questions off of. You've proven yourself to be an apt and competent learner by becoming a licensed therapist; have the courage to learn another skill set as well.

4) "I can't do media appearances or speaking engagements because I hate seeing and hearing myself"

Therapists tend to get shy about media interviews. It's one thing to sit in front of a client and offer counsel in a one-on-one session, but speaking in front of large audiences can bring out anxiety in even the most confident clinicians. But remember how much you know; you are a trained and experienced expert. The aesthetic and "performance" aspect of media appearances will come with time. The more prepared you are, the more comfortable and relaxed you'll be. And if by chance you do feel like you bombed a television interview or radio podcast, learn from it and try to move on. It's not the end of the world if you make a mistake!

Read here for more tips on how to look good and sound professional in your media appearance.

5) "If I'm a great clinician, my work will speak for itself"

Some therapists plan to rely on their hard-earned reputation as an excellent mental health professional to be their main source of client referral. They then focus solely on refining their clinical skills, as they don't see the need to engage with their community beyond private sessions. While referrals can be an effective strategy to build your clientele, depending on others in the field to refer to you should not be the only way you attract people to your services. The harsh truth is that there are a lot of excellent therapists who fail in developing a successful private practice. Everyone has to start somewhere, and it takes time and experience to gain a loyal following and individuals who actively seek you out.

You may find that by being persistent in building trust in you and your services over time will be the major benefit to the growth of your practice. Because we have worked hard to establish ourselves as trusted professionals by embracing social media and building our online presence, my practice, Wasatch Family Therapy, receives most of our referrals from Google searches. This is something I feel very grateful for, and it's largely due to the fact that I stopped participating on managed care panels and consequently had to work within the community to build trust directly with potential clients.

Embracing a private pay practice model brings more than a few questions, unknowns, and worries. But by using these strategies, you can overcome barriers and build a thriving practice.

Besides the obstacles presented in this article, another major reason why clinicians may be wary of switching to private pay involves how they think their clients will be affected. I address (and debunk!) these fears here.

Click here to view my webinar and learn more strategies and tips about breaking up with managed care!

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How to Make Sure Your Online Photos are Copyright-Friendly

Graphics and pictures are a great way to enhance your social media engagement for your private mental health practice. They add something that words cannot, they show personality, they can break up large blocks of text, and they add visual interest. However, in our Internet age, there is a very real danger of getting into trouble if you use an unauthorized photo. The owner of the image(s) can slap you with a fine or a law suit. It's easy to disregard copyright rules, particularly if you are a small business owner. Some assume that if their blog is not a commercial site or monetized by running advertisements, then they can use any image without fear of legal penalty. And there are millions of blogs out there, so why would anyone care about an image or two you use on yours? The truth is that photo companies have software that crawls the web looking for their private images, and they’re not afraid to get you if you violate their rules. It happens a lot. It even happened to me. Moral of the story? Respect copyright laws.

Here are three suggestions for safely using images on your website:

1) Use a Stock Photography Website

These sites have thousands of images to browse so that you'll be able to find some that portray what you're looking for. There are lots of sites to choose from: Shutterstock, BigStock, and CanStock are some well-known names (I personally use Canstock). This is an investment, but it's a reasonable and worthwhile one. Here's how Canstock works: you sign up for a package of "credits," which are points to use an image. If I were to buy the 100 credit package, I'd pay $50 and would be able to "buy" the rights to use an image with my credits (most photos are 2-3 credits). There are different credit packages available to give you the best deal depending on how often you utilize images. I encourage you to research Canstock and the other companies and decide which one will work best for your business and your budget.

2) Take Your Own Pictures!

Why not create your own images? Maybe you’re a photography buff, maybe you’re not, but nowadays, it’s easier than ever to capture clean and beautiful photos with an iPhone or other simple device. Take a picture of your therapy office, something in nature that inspires you, or anything else that relates to your online presence. Use your imagination (and your common sense!) and tap into your creative side. Best part? No worrying about legal consequences!

3) Use Public Domain Images

There are some photos online that are actually totally free. Yep, the owners have decided that anyone can use them, making them fair use images. Hallelujah! Here are 3 popular sites with great free images:

Death to the Stock Photo I love the tongue-in-cheek name, here. This site actually emails you free images every month. There really are some beautiful ones here, and there's a different theme every month.

Unsplash Unsplash is another one with free, high quality photos. Not quite as many to choose from, but there are always new ones being added, so you might be able to find what you're looking for.

morgueFile Strange name, I know. Here are even more great stock photos where you don't need to worry about licensing or copyrighting issues.

4) Get Permission to Use an Image Through Creative Commons

Sometimes, you find an image on Google that fits perfectly for what you're looking for, but since it's not public domain, you cannot legally use it. In these cases, you may be able to get permission from the owner through what is called a creative commons license. This is a tool to connect someone who wants to use a photo with the person or company that supplies it and help them come to a reasonable agreement that is in compliance with the law. For example, you might be granted permission to use an image on your site, but not on a newsletter or book. It's up to the copyright holder what sort of license they give. Creative commons licenses can get pretty complex; click here for more specific details about it.

So yes, images are becoming increasingly important when you build your online presence, but you must take precaution and protect yourself. Once again, I urge you to take copyright rules seriously in order to avoid landing yourself in hot water. By using these techniques, you'll be able to create visual content for your online presence and keep yourself safe from any expensive and messy copyright violations.

Click here for more about going graphic/ using images to enhance your online presence.

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Therapist Roll Call: Join The Private Practice Pinterest List

Do you use Pinterest? I do and I have found some amazing relationship and emotional health resources for my clients and practice building resources. I've also found that it's a great way to direct visitors to my website and learn about my services.

In the past, I've featured a roll call for therapists so we could connect on Twitter and Facebook, and it was very well received. I'd like to continue that tradition so we can get to know each other more on social media.

I recently wrote about how Pinterest can benefit your practice. So let's all add our Pinterest information and see what kinds of things we're pinning on our boards. Connect with me on Pinterest here

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Post a comment below and include:

1. your name
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4 Ways To Use Pinterest To Build Your Practice

Pinterest is a social media platform that therapists might overlook when building their online presence. It may seem more tailored toward foodies, pop culture junkies, or book lovers than for people wanting or providng professional counseling. However, Pinterest can be a valuable way to serve your online community and also get the word out about yourself and the clinical services you offer. Joe Sanock, an LPC who also works as a private practice consultant, explains that “People who go on Pinterest are dreaming about having a new life. It could be a new hair style, a new dress, or a renovation. They are in a mindset of change. As counselors, we fit perfectly into that mindset.” He says that Pinterest is his leading referral for both his private practice and consulting business. Bottom line: Pinterest can work as a great marketing tool for you (read more about Joe's experience here).

Here is some more information and tips for using Pinterest to benefit your practice:

1) Regularly Pin and Re-pin Inspiring and Informative Material 

Make a point to pin and re-pin inspiring quotes and ideas that are relevant to your work as a therapist. Quotes about change and personal development often work best. Try to use quotes that are universal enough to not seem super technical or boring, but specific enough to establish that your niche deals with emotional and relational well-being. Use original material as well as curating existing content.

It’s a good idea to strategically include your name and website links on your graphics or memes (see left for an image I pinned as an example). This can be helpful when you get share and re-pins. It’s more than okay to tap into the promotional side of using Pinterest.

There is of course no cut-and-dry rule about how regularly you should post. But as is the case with any social media platform you utilize, you must commit to make content creation and curation an ongoing thing if you want it to make a difference in your marketing; pinning a new picture or idea once every month is not going to do much for establishing and maintaining your online presence.

2) Optimize Your Bio and Profile

The bio at the top of your Pinterest page is your "hello" to new followers. First impressions are important, and you want to introduce yourself professionally and accurately to your viewers. It should have your picture, a clear description of your speciality, and links to your main website. Optimizing your biography is also good for SEO (making your stuff for findable on the web). See screenshot below for my example:

3) Be Deliberate in Selecting Categories and Board Titles

Similar to your biography, be strategic about your titles, categories and boards; they're more important than you might think. Not only do they give a clear indication of the nature of your material, but they're also good for the search engines because your titles are your keywords. Not every one of your boards must be directly related to the field; it's good to diversify and show your followers that you're a multi-dimensional person. For example, you might have a board of humorous memes.

4) Follow Others in Your Niche

And finally, we come to the social part of the social media of Pinterest. Follow other relevant users. Look at the categories and boards of those who re-pin your stuff and see if they are similar to yours. Engage in Pinterest not just for yourself, but use it as a way to learn more and continue to be inspired. Check out other people's pins as well. And yes, follow to be followed (among other reasons).

So there's some tips to get you started or help you more with using Pinterest. It can be a useful tool to engage with the online community, invite more visitors to your website, as well as build your own professional online presence.

What's your experience using Pinterest for your practice?

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